Promise - Ben Howard
Version 6 of 6
- Promise (Tabs) (v1)Rating: 4.26 / 5.00
- Promise (Tabs) (v2)Rating: 4.67 / 5.00
- Promise (Tabs) (v3)Rating: 3.73 / 5.00
- Promise (Tabs) (v4)Rating: 0 / 5.00
- Promise (Tabs) (v5)Rating: 4.94 / 5.00
Tuning: Open D, D A D F# A D
Hello,
I understand there are many different opinions on the tuning and playstyle for this song,
this is simply the easiest tuning I have found that incorporates open strings.
If you're having trouble holding the chords with other tunings, give this a try and let me know if it helps.
Tuning: D G D F# G D (both A's lowered to G!!)
Capo: NONE
I would like to point out that the section of the song which solidified this tuning is 3:25
Here, Ben plays most strings open, all ringing at once (it is noted with ** below).
Try the tuning and play this part with all strings open. Sounds accurate to me.
- If you are new to finger picking, I suggest staying on D and repeating the pattern to get it down.
Once you can play along with Ben's speed, try switching chords - the pattern mostly stays the same.
I won't note all chords changes throughout the song, I'm simply showing examples of each pattern.
INTRO / VERSE
( 1 b
D-------------
G-------------
F#-----0------
D---------0---
G-------------
D---0--------0
ar D )
-7------------
--------------
-------0------
----------0---
--------------
----0---------
( 1
--------------
--------------
--------------
----------0---
-------4------
----5--------5
bar G )
--7-----------
--------------
--------------
-----------0--
--------4-----
-----5--------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
-----
-----
-----
-----
-----
-----
- The chord changes are somewhat irregular. I will note each bar of chords for the first verse.
So G G G means 3 bars of G (the length of 1 bar is noted above)
starting at 1:02...
D D D D G G G G
D D D D
G G G G D D D
And mee- -eet me there, with bundles of flowers, we'll wade through the hours
G G G G
of cold
D D D G G G G
Winter she'll howl at the walls, tearing down doors of time.
D D D D G G G G
Shelte- -r as we go...
- Note that in this verse it's 3 bars of D and 4 bars of G. In the interlude he returns to 4 and 4.
The next 2 verses follow 4 and 4 as well.
BREAK 3:15
"And maybe, j
D-------------
G-------------
F#------------
D----------0--
G-------6-----
D----7--------
ust maybe I'll
---7----------
--------------
--------------
------------0-
---------6----
7-----7-------
come home"
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
**OPEN INTERLU
(strumm)
D---------7---
G--------x----
F#------0-----
D------0------
G-------------
D---0--------0
DE 3:23
--0-----------
--0--------0--
--------------
--------0-----
--------------
-----0--------
--------------
--------------
---0----------
------0-------
--------------
0-----------0-
-0------------
---------0----
--------------
------0-------
--------------
---0--------0-
--------------
--------------
-0------------
----0---------
--------------
------------0-
-0------------
----------0---
--------------
-------0------
--------------
----0--------0
--------------
--------------
--0-----------
-----0--------
--------------
-----------0--
-----------
0----------
---0-------
------0----
-----------
-----------
D-------------
G-------------
F#---------0--
D-------0-----
G----4--------
D-------------
----0---------
-------------0
--------------
----------0---
4------4------
--------------
--------------
--------------
-----0--------
--------0-----
--4-----------
--------------
---0----------
------------0-
--------------
---------0----
4-----4-------
--------------
--------------
--------------
----0---------
-------0------
-4------------
--------------
---0----------
------------0-
--------------
---------0----
4-----4-------
--------------
--------------
--------------
----0---------
-------0------
-4----------4-
--------------
-----------
-0---------
----0------
-------0---
-----------
-----------
- Repeat these chords twice and follow up with this
HOOK / 'WHO AM
(strumm)
D----------7--
G---------x---
F#-------0----
D-------0-----
G-------------
D---0---------
I' 3:47
-------5------
--------------
--------------
----0---------
--------------
-0--------0---
D
---4----------
--------------
-------------0
0---------0---
--------------
------0-------
--4h5p4p0-----
--------------
-----------0--
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------
--------
--------
--------
--------
--------
(strumm)
D----------7--
G---------x---
F#-------0----
D-------0-----
G---4---------
D-------------
-------5------
--------------
--------------
----0---------
4---------4---
--------------
Bm
---4----------
--------------
------------0-
0--------0----
------4-------
--------------
--5p4p0-------
--------------
---------0----
--------------
--------------
--------------
----
----
----
----
----
----
...later 5:00
D----------7--
G-------------
F#------------
D-------0-----
G-------------
D---0---------
-------5------
--------------
--------------
----0---------
--------------
-0--------0---
D
---4----------
--------------
-------------0
0---------0---
--------------
------0-------
---0----------
------0-------
---------0----
------------0-
--------------
--------------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
D----------7--
G-------------
F#------------
D-------0-----
G---4---------
D-------------
-------5------
--------------
--------------
----0---------
4---------4---
--------------
Bm
---4----------
--------------
-------------0
0--------0----
------4-------
--------------
--0-----------
-----0--------
--------0-----
------------0-
--------------
--------------
------
------
------
------
------
------
- Here are the lyrics with some guiding chords (no bar amount noted)
(Intro / Verse)
D G
D G
D
G D
And meet me there, with bundles of flowers,
G
We'll wade through the hours of cold
D
Winter she'll howl at the walls,
G
Tearing down doors of time.
D G
Shelter as we go...
D G
Hmmmmmmm...
D
G D
And promise me this: You'll wait for me only,
G
Scared of the lonely arms
D G
That surface, far below these birds.
D G
Hmmmmmmm...
D G
A* (Break)
And maybe, just maybe I'll come home
(Open Interlude)
D Bm
D Bm
(Hook)
D Bm
D
Who am I, darling to you?
Bm
Who am I to tell you stories of mine (who am I?)
D
Who am I, darling for you?
Bm
Who am I to be your burden in time, lonely who am I to you?
D
Who am I, darling for you?
Bm
Who am I to be your burden, who am I, darling to you?
Who am I?
D
I come alone here
Bm
I come alone here
Repeat D Bm